The Best of The 2010s (SPOILERS)

Well here we are, the end of the decade. There have been several amazing films to come out of this decade, some of which you'll see on my list. Probably the hardest one I had to make, I really tried my best to pick the ones that I felt the best about. To make this fair, I picked two films from each year that I saw and felt had the best chance of deserving a place on the list. I'm sure they'll be disagreements, but hey, opinions are opinions. Reviews for movies I've covered will be linked, and be sure to check out my lists for the best movies from 2017, 2018, and 2019. Now let's begin:
 20. The Revenant
 19. Rise of The Planet of The Apes
 18. Alpha
 17. Deadpool
 16. The VVitch
 15. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
 14. The Wolf of Wall Street 
 13. The Irishman
 12. Prisoners
  11. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2
 10. Django Unchained 
 9. The Dark Knight Rises
 8. Coco
 7. Logan
 6. Whiplash 
 5. Dawn of The Planet of The Apes
 4. Avengers: Infinity War
 3. How To Train Your Dragon
 2. Joker
 1. Toy Story 3

And that's a wrap on the 2010s. What a decade it has been! Here's to what the 2020s have in store. As always, tune in for more posts coming your way and till then...

Deadpool 2 (SPOILERS)

He's Back...

Love him, hate him...it doesn't matter. What matters is that the Merc with the Mouth has returned for more wild, wacky escapades. After suffering through a showing that did a massive disservice to the character, Ryan Reynolds got the showing he deserved when the first film came out in 2016. Now, in the year 2018, we have gotten the follow-up to that venture, and was it as good as, or even exceed, the original? Honestly, no, but that doesn't stop this movie from being an enjoyable ride all on its own, and in this post, I will break down what made Deadpool 2 work so well, and what didn't:

UPS

1. Ryan Reynolds still soars as the titular antihero. He retains his witty nature from the first film while also adding some real, raw emotional depth to an otherwise wacky character. It serves to bring a more nuanced performance to the table and one we will not soon forget. 
2. Josh Brolin is awesome as Cable. Though this wasn't his year-defining role (we already know what that was,) Brolin still delivers a solid interpretation of this character, sharing great chemistry with Reynolds and the other members of the cast while having a very dark and tragic backstory surrounding him. Overall, great character who provided some interesting morally grey areas to explore. 
3. There were some neat cameos and surprises in this movie. For example, they actually managed to get the cast of the new X-Men trilogy to stop by for a hilarious gag, and even Brad Pitt got a cameo as an Invisible Mutant who joins the X-Force only to hit a live wire, but the biggest and the best, of course, is that of the MOTHERFUCKING JUGGERNAUT!!! Yep, that's right, he, like Deadpool, got a chance at redemption and it paid off tremendously. 
4. This movie was surprisingly emotional. For starters, Deadpool loses the love of his life, Vanessa, and then there's Cable's whole backstory involving the death of his family at the hands of Russell. These moments truly pushed the movie into darker and edgier territory, and while that kinda came at the cost of some good humor, it still proved to make the movie that much deeper and tense, so it served its purpose well. 
5. Finally, 2 out of the 3 post-credits scenes in this movie were glorious. If there was any better way to laugh at and mock the shortcomings of Ryan Reynolds, THIS was the way to do it. 

DOWNS

1. It wasn't as funny as the original. While I was fine with the darker elements of the plot, I still think it could've had a lot more humor to balance those elements out since this is, well, Deadpool. It doesn't help that it rehashes a lot of jokes from the original, so while a few standout scenes held a laugh here and there, I wasn't too impressed. 
2. The other post-credits scene. Aside from those two mentioned above, this one kinda ruins the movie by having Wade go back in time and save Vanessa, which essentially undoes the whole freaking plot. Again, this is Deadpool, so something that outlandish is plausible in his universe, but still, as he said, that's just lazy writing...
3. No Stan Lee cameo. Granted, the guy is going through a lot right now, but still, his presence is sorely missed :(

OVERALL

I liked Deadpool 2 despite the first one being better. It's always good to see this character in action and I can't wait to see what he does next.

And that's it for this post, guys. Tune in for more on the way :)

Top 10 Marvel Films (SPOILERS)

Comic Book magic was made when Marvel came about. Along with DC, it's at the top of the line when it comes to superheroes and comic books. Now of course, it's not all about the comics, as there are many adaptations that were made as well, from movies, to TV shows, to video games. A while back, I did a list of my top 5 favorite Marvel films. This list is an updated expansion, with new additions as well as spots being changed here and there. Now without further adieu, let's begin the list with the man himself :)

  10. The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron: Yes they tie, and this won't be the only tie either! I just loved these movies, but I think they're both equally as great as each other. The first Avengers did a great job setting the Avengers up and each of them shared great dynamics with each other. It also had a terrific villain in the posterboy for MCU villainy, Loki, and overall provided a satisfying experience for everything that Phase One of the MCU was building towards while planting the seeds for the future. On the other hand, Age of Ultron is one of the more divisive entries in the MCU, what with all the clunky setup for Infinity War and the unnecessary Hulk/Black Widow romance, but putting that aside, you have a pretty solid movie that did everything a sequel should do: it further developed the characters, fleshed out their backstories, heightened the stakes, produced a great villain in Ultron, and introduced terrific new characters in Vision, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver. Now for what I love about both of them is the strong team dynamic between the Avengers, the performances from each of their actors, the action, the humor, and the fact that they're both just so damn fun. They are both entertaining experiences that will be remembered for what they brought to the table, and I hope Infinity War does just as well in that regard.
Best Moment: The Avengers: Avengers Assemble
Avengers: Age of Ultron: Lifting Thor's Hammer
9. X2: X-Men United: A lot of people love this movie, and for good reason. The stakes were higher, the relationships of the original characters were further developed, and new characters and elements were introduced to help build the world and story. To see the X-Men having to work together with Magneto to fight a common enemy in Stryker provided an intriguing dynamic that gave us interesting character moments between them. It also fleshed out Wolverine's backstory and delivered a memorable character in Nightcrawler, who provided one of the most memorable opening scenes in comic book movie history.
Best Moment: The Mansion Attack
8. Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Ah yes, everyone knows this one. This film is considered by many to be one of the best MCU films of all time. While I do think it's a little overrated (largely because the final battle is a little underwhelming to me and the Nick Fury twist is a cheap move,) I still think it's a damn good movie and must respect its importance in the MCU. Chris Evans gives a fantastic performance as Captain America, Scarlett Johansen kills it as Black Widow, Anthony Mackie proves to be a great addition as the Falcon, Robert Redford brings a subtle menace as Alexander Pierce, and the Winter Soldier provides probably one of the most deep and personal conflicts in all of comic book movie history. All in all, it's a thoroughly intense and thought-provoking film unlike anything the MCU has made before that time.
Best Moment: The Highway Battle
7. X-Men: As great as X2 is, it just can't top the original for me. Now the story for this movie is pretty simple for the most part, but the cast and crew really make the most of it. This movie is fun, intense, and just so entertaining the whole way through. Each character in the movie really gets the chance to shine here, and Magneto is at his villainous best as well. Also, that opening scene is legendary and really needs to be seen to be believed.
Best Moment: The Opening Scene
 6. Deadpool: What can I say about this movie that hasn't already said? The Merc with a Mouth has not done so well in cinema during the past, but this movie goes to great lengths to rectify that mistake and boy do they deliver. This movie is about as hilarious, over-the-top, and downright crazy as it should be, and Ryan Reynolds kills it in the role, being just as perfect as the comic design. Now while the plot may be a little too simplistic and Ajax may not be the greatest of villains (seriously, we really don't care about your name,) it's Deadpool, what's not to love?
Best Moment: Deadpool vs. Colossus
5. Captain America: Civil War: Overrated? Yeah, maybe a bit. But no one can deny the sheer epic scope and impact this movie truly has. Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans provide epic performances, the emotions are souring, and the stakes are high. Plus, this movie finally brings Spider-Man into the MCU, introduces a great addition in Black Panther, and has one of the best villains in the entire MCU with Zemo, who does something no one, not even Loki, could do: he beat the Avengers by tearing them apart from the inside. This is a regular human being we're talking about here! Overall, while this movie may not be the very best the MCU has offered, it is indeed the one that changed everything and gives Infinity War some major competition to top.
Best Moment: The Final Battle
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming: It's been a while since Spidey has found his footing in cinema, but the MCU has fixed that problem and finally found a place for him to stay. Now while it may not be the definitive cinematic take on the story of Spider-Man, Tom Holland proves to be the definitive live-action Spider-Man, Vulture is a great villain, and this movie is about as fun and exciting as it needs to be. Overall, it's a great take on the wall-crawler and I look forward to seeing his adventures in the future.
Best Moment: Interrogation Mode
Click here to see my review for "Spider-Man: Homecoming"
 3. Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Guardians of the Galaxy should not have worked as well as it did, but with the great character dynamics, a fantastic soundtrack, and an off-the-charts fun factor, it proved be part of the best the MCU has had to offer. Now for all the problems it had, the sequel came along to improve upon that, providing an even better villain, deeper character moments, and high emotional stakes. Now these movies excel at being funny and fun, and together they provide one hell of an experience. To ask if they could be topped by anything else in the MCU going forward is a VERY hard question to answer...and at the moment, I can say it's almost impossible!
Best Moment: Guardians of the Galaxy: "Come and Get Your Love"
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2: "Come a little bit closer"
Click here to see my review for "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2"
2. Logan: Words cannot describe the emotional brutality this film brings. It's hard to imagine the world of the X-Men without Wolverine, but here we are not only saying goodbye to him, but to Professor X as well. This film is just epic! From Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Dafne Keen's breathtaking performances, to the sheer bittersweet beauty of it all, it's just something I can't even begin to express. While X-24 robs away some of the emotional investment that would have been had a different character been used, everything else is perfect, and I wouldn't have asked for any other way to end one era to pave the way towards something new.
Best Moment: "So this is what it feels like..."
Click here for my review for "Logan"

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, my favorite Marvel movie (or movies), is...

1. Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2: You all know Spider-Man is my favorite superhero of all time, and as much I love Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Homecoming cannot top the sheer impact Sam Raimi's first film had on me. Spider-Man is not only my favorite Spider-Man movie, but quite possibly my favorite comic book movie of all time. It told the origin story perfectly, set up the world of Spider-Man beautifully, and while Tobey Maguire was topped by Holland as the definitive wall-crawler, almost all the supporting players were nailed. Despite that, I cannot neglect the greatness of Spider-Man 2 either. While I don't think it's as great as everyone makes it out to be, I do see where many of these people are coming from. Maguire gives easily his best performance here and the dynamics he shares with his supporting cast are taken to the next level. It also has a fantastic rendition of the Spider-Man theme song performed by Michael Buble. Oh, and Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina kick ass as Green Goblin and Dr. Octopus. Now, can Holland top these two in the future? Probably Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man may be a bit more of a challenge, but as it stands, Sam Rami holds the key to producing the definitive version of Spider-Man.
Best Moment: Spider-Man: The death of Uncle Ben
Spider-Man 2: The Train Fight

Well that's it for this list guys. More blogs will be on the way soon! Take care :)